Schafer v. Schafer

Mar 30, 1966
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
McAllister
PER CURIAM.

This is a suit for divorce by plaintiff on the grounds of cruel and ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‍inhuman treatment. The defendant filed a cross complaint on the same grounds and asked for a decree of separation from bed and board. Defendant was awarded the decree of separation ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‍from bed and board, the custody of the two youngest children, alimony, child support, and a property settlement. The plaintiff was awarded custody of his two oldest children. From ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‍this decree the plaintiff appeals.

Plaintiff attempted to call as witnesses Donald Schafer (aged 16) and Robert Schafer (aged 15), children of plaintiff and defendant. The trial court refused to ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‍permit these children to testify, solely on the basis they were children of the parties.

There was a conflict in the testimony of the parties and this refusal to permit ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‍these witnesses to testify constitutes reversible error. Kreutzer v. Kreutzer, 226 Or 158, 359 P2d 536.

Reversed and remanded.